Improvement in cigar-boxes



n rarns ATENT OFFIo-E.

WILLIAM FREDRIOKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,778, dated December23, 1879; application filed July 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Fnnnnroxs, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements'inCigar-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following specification,when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is such a full,clear, and exact description thereof as will enable others skilled inthe art tomake and use the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents said box with a perspective view,both of its lids being shown as open. Fig. 2 represents a frontelevation of said box, bot-h lids being closed. Fig. 3 represents anendelevation of said box, the top lid being open. Fig. 4 is a transversesection of one corner of the box, showing particularly the constructionandmode of attachment of the top-lid fastening.

Under the restrictions imposed by the present laws of the country, it isrequired that cigars shall be packed in boxes or box-like packages, andbe sold therefrom. This has led to the adoption by the trade of manyconstruciions of box that not only facilitate the exhibition of thestock contained in the box, but aid the convenient removal of one ormore cigars at a time therefrom until the entire contents are disposedof.

My invention relates to this class of cigarboxes, and not only aims toproduce a box that is very cheap in its cost, (since the law prohibitsits second use,) but one so constructed that each cigar contained in itmay be readily examined, and the same conveniently removed in retailingor using them.

Said invention, consists, primarily, in a cigar-box having a bottom,ends, and rear sides, and provided with a hinged top lid, as is usual,whereby the upper layer of the cigars may be exposed to view and thecontents conveniently removed, which box has a partial front side ornarrow strip, beneath which it is furnished with a front lid, wherebythe layers of cigars will be held in place, and those underlying the toplayer may be examined either by inspecting their ends or removing one ormore single cigars.

The invention also embraces an improved form of hinge for the top lidand a novel fastening for its front lid.

In order to a perfect understanding of my improvements, I willnowproceed to explain the same in all their details. 7

The box is constructed of thin pieces of wood-preferably cedar-and,being rectangular in form, is composed of a bottom, A, sides B O, andends D E, which are secured together, in the usual manner, by nails orgluing, or both.- It is provided, as is common, with a top lid, F,hinged to the rear side, E, which lid may be provided with any usualmeans for retaining it closed. The front side, D, does not cover theentire front of the box, as is ordinarily the case, but is providedthroughout its lower section with a lid, G,

that may be hinged in any common manner, and fastened in its closedposition by any simple means.

Thus is constituted a box which, when filled with cigars packed thereinin layers, as is the custom, may be readily opened to permit aninspection of the quality or condition of its contents by raising thelid F, which exposes the top layer, and by opening the lid G, whichexposes the layers packed underneath the top layer. Each cigar may thusbe examined either by visual inspection in its packed condition or byremoval. Such a box, when opened, as in Fig. 1, also affords a highlydesirable means for exhibiting its contents for sale.

A box thus constructed also admits the removal for use or sale from asin gle package of cigars in various conditions. Thus if a dry orwell-cured cigar is desired it maybe obtained from the top layer, wherethe cigars are most exposed to the air, and consequently the driest; butif a fresh or damp cigar is desired, it may be removed from either ofthe layers underlying the top layers. Such construction also enables theentire contents to be evenly freshened or tempered, since when its lidsare opened the humid airin a freshing-case may enter freely and permeatethe whole mass, since it may have a free circulation and act equally onall the cigars.

Cigar-boxes usually have their top lids secured by a muslin hinge-joint,which lids are held closed by tie-strin gs. The present structure isimproved by a hingejoint that is composed of a right-angular plate, 2,attached to the top of the lid F by simple rivets, as 3, and

pivoted to the back E of the box by a pivot or pin, 4, which is driventhrough the end piece, B or O, and longitudinally into the back E, whichplate 2 may occupy a slot betwen the end of said back E and the endpiece, or overlie the latter, which construction provides a simple,strong, and inexpensive hinge.

To facilitate the opening of the lid F, I have provided the same with aspring-arm, 5, that, projecting from a spiral coil, 6, that is securedto the back E, presses against the cover F and forces the same upward;and to retain this lid in its closed position I have provided it withcatches 7 at opposite ends, which co-operate with spring catch-barsSthat are attached to the endsB O, and protrude into the boxsufiiciently to engage said catches 7. Thus, when the lid F is closedthe inclined sides of these catches 7, meeting the faces of thecatch-bars 8, force said bars aside till the recessed parts of thecatches permit the bars 8, by their resiliency, to press into saidrecesses, whereupon the lid will be held closed. One set of thesedevices will ordinarily sufficc.

In order to conveniently release the catches from the catch-bars, thelatter are extended through the front D and terminate in thumbpieceswhich lie in recesses in said front D, so as not to protrude therefrom,and yet be conveniently disposed, so as to be operated by the lateralpressure of the thumb.

Thus constructed the box-lidF may be readily closed by pressing itdownwardly, when it will be secured by the automatic action of thecatches 7 and catch-bars 8, and upon disengaging said catch-hars thespring-arm 5 will immediately operate to raise the cover to its openposition.

To retain the front lid in its closed position I have devised a peculiarstructure of turnbutton, the same consisting of a flat metal platepivoted centrally, and provided with a hook, 9, at one end and aprojecting stud, 1, at the other, which hooked end engages a simpleheaded pin, 10, that projects from the front D. I thus provide afastening that does not materially project beyond the face of the box,and yet forms a simple and effective means for securing the lid in itsclosed position.

What therefore is claimed is 1. A cigar-box consisting of a bottom, A,ends B 0, rear side,'E, a partial front side or narrow strip, D, ahinged front lid, G, and a hinged top lid, F, each of the lidscontrolling access to the entire interior of the box, as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the lid F, of the hinge formed by aright-angular plate, 2, attached by rivets 3, and pivoted to the back Eby a driven pin or pivot, 4, substantially as described.

3. The sheet-metal turn-button provided with a hooked end, 9, and with aprojecting stud or pin, 1, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM FREDRICKS.

Witnesses:

H. T. MUNsoN, Gno. H. GRAHAM.

